In a landmark ranking of the century’s greatest films, Parasite, the Korean black comedy directed by Bong Joon Ho, has been voted the best movie of the 21st century by The New York Times. Surpassing high-profile titles from Hollywood heavyweights like Nolan and Fincher, Parasite took the top spot in a list curated by over 500 global directors, actors, and industry insiders.

The results were unveiled after a months-long deliberation that also involved reader polls. The Oscar-winning 2019 film also ranked first among audience favourites.

According to the NYT citation, “Bong, a master of genre unbound by convention, fluidly shifts between broad comedy and blistering social satire throughout, then lights it all on fire with a paroxysm of tragic violence that’s as stunning as it is inevitable.”

A satire wrapped in suspense, Parasite follows a lower-income family that cunningly inserts itself into the lives of an affluent household. After debuting at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival—where it won the Palme d'Or—the film became a worldwide sensation, grossing $258 million on a modest $11-million budget.

Its legacy only grew with time. At the 92nd Academy Awards, Parasite made history by winning four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film—making it the first non-English-language film to win the top prize.

The NYT ranking saw Parasite outshine:

Mulholland Drive (#2)
There Will Be Blood (#3)
In the Mood for Love (#4)
Moonlight (#5)
No Country for Old Men (#6)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (#7)
Get Out (#8)
Spirited Away (#9)
The Social Network (#10)

Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, a readers' top 5 favourite, was positioned much lower on the curated list at #89.

Bong Joon Ho, long revered for his genre-bending style, has solidified his legacy with Parasite—not just as a national hero of Korean cinema, but as a global icon who redefined what international storytelling can achieve.